There is an old saying that money is neither good nor bad; it's what we do with it that transforms it into either a creative or destructive force.

The same duality is also true of technology. While many see technological innovation as being the key to dealing with the many social and environmental challenges the world faces, others fear that a reliance on digital is leading to information overwhelm and a growing subjugation to machines.

To help explore the positive, transformational power of technology, Sony collaborated with the sustainable development charity Forum for the Future on the FutureScapes project. The project brought together a wide range of stakeholders – including engineers, designers, futurists and space technologists – in a series of workshops and events to discuss how technology might enrich our lives and help meet some of the challenges we face.

Prerequisite to any sustainable vision of the future is the need to change our relationship with technology. One of the key issues raised in the workshops was the need to transform our throwaway culture. For businesses, that means moving away from the concept of built-in obsolescence. From the consumer perspective, it's about not being tempted to switch to the latest mobile phone or tablet computer as soon as a more advanced model comes to market.

Key to this thinking is the notion of the circular economy, in which products are specifically designed so that the various components can be reused or safely recycled once the product has come to the end of its natural life.

In the same way that a generation ago people used to tinker with their cars because the mechanics were simple enough for them to understand, modular devices would allow customers to develop a relationship with technology and be able to update it and customise it over time.

One only has to look at the excitement about the recent launch of the ultra-cheap Raspberry Pi, aimed at encouraging computer programming, to show that it is possible to generate a more proactive approach to technology.

So while, at present, manufacturers are creating devices of every size between a smartphone and a home-cinema screen, the future could lead to the development of a "thin client" device, whose processing power is in the cloud and connected via Wi-Fi or 4G, meaning that a phone can be upgraded remotely. Modular add-ons would allow devices to be physically upgraded with everything from pico projectors to motion-sensor energy generation, and ultra-durable materials preventing damage while ageing elegantly.

But this idea is not far-fetched, nor far away. Ideas are already being sketched out by various designers include the Mobikoma concept phone, built up from tiny interlinked hi-res displays; and Modai, which would allow fresh batteries, memory and processors to be slotted in easily.

The challenge for manufacturers of these long-lasting modular devices is to have designs that don't quickly feel dated and to take a lead in supporting behaviour change by making it desirable and fun to be able to customise and reshape devices. In this way, passive consumers become active creators and supporters of the circular economy.

Ultimately, this could mean the consolidation of TVs, games consoles, hi-fi equipment and telecommunications into an all-in-one device that accesses, purchases, plays and projects virtual digital content. 3D-augmented reality from companies such as Digicave could bring gaming, culture, and sport vividly into our physical environment – and without the need for climate-damaging travel to boot.

But while this virtualisation of content can create environmental benefits, without smart curation and thoughtful user design it could lock us into an "always on" digital culture that many already find exhausting and alienating. The fact that American novelist Jonathan Franzen had to glue his ethernet port closed to write his latest novel Freedom is a vivid example of how the internet, and technology more generally, has a potentially addictive and distracting effect.

There is also increasing concern that children, in particular, are losing the power to concentrate because of the constant shallowness and speed of their digital experiences.

Scientific research by Loren Frank, a professor in physiology at the University of California, highlights some of the dangers. He says: "Downtime lets the brain go over experiences it's had, solidify them and turn them into permanent long-term memories." Disconnection is therefore essential for formulating truly cogent ideas.

So how is it possible to help people navigate more effectively through the vast mass of information, data and images and make the most of the technology available to us?

Indications that we are changing our relationship with technology are already with us. Organisations are monitoring their employees' interaction with technology in order to design more sophisticated systems to help us engage without distraction or fatigue. Another approach has been to reduce the complexity of communications interfaces, leaving us with only what we truly need: for example, the ultra-simple John's Phones.

Holiday resorts and health retreats that advertise a lack of Wi-Fi are another possible trend. The rise of applications such as Concentrate and the Web Suicide Machine, which restrict or destroy your connection to digital distractions like social networks, can potentially help achieve a better balance; programming these to match the rise and fall of your own creative cycle could be hugely beneficial.

IT services firm Atos is already attempting to remove internal email altogether and replace it with collaborative social networking to enhance workflow and reduce spam.

In this way technology can help create richer and more meaningful relationships while at the same time allowing employees to focus on what is most important.

If consumption and improved connectivity can be framed as an active choice rather than an inevitable burden, we may indeed be able to master technology rather than fall victim to it.

The technology concepts explored in the FutureScapes project will be shared in the coming weeks – go to the FutureScapes site to add your thoughts and discover more about how these ideas could reshape ourcollective future.

Credits:

This content is brought to you by Guardian Sustainable Business in association with Sony and Forum for the Future. Produced by Guardian Business and Professional to a brief agreed with Sony. Paid for by Sony. All editorial controlled and overseen by the Guardian.